apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

The interior space photographs in the PB catalog is starting to look better - more urban - while the West Elm space is starting to look plain and uninteresting. anyone out there agree?

Home Reserve has storage ottomans starting at only $79 with a wide variety of slip covers. I've had mine for a year and I love it! I also have one of their love seats. http://tinyurl.com/384qop

I'm so glad this topic came up because I've been thinking about getting the slip covered daybed (w/ trundle) for my guest room. I need something that doesn't take up as much space as a bed (it's not a very big room and needs to also function as a office/studio) but is more comfortable then a sofabed. Anyone know where I might be able to find something similar for less money?

Wow, I think their interior space photography is getting worse! I didn't see a single picture that made me drool in this most recent catalog, and I used to see at least a dozen. I'm glad to hear they're at least doing better with you, because they are doing way worse with me.

Carrier: I like the exposed brick walls, light and feeling of open space in the most recent catalog. I don't remember the previous pics. What appealed to you in them?

I guess small is relative. I took a look at the "Small Spaces" page and every product featured on the front page, with the possible exception of the daybed, would be too big for my 500 square foot apartment. The desk they feature is 70" wide! The media wall is 92" wide. The dining tables look like they'd seat at least 8. It seems like PB wants to try to attract more urban clientele without actually changing their product line to fit.

500 square feet is pretty small. If you look at the majority of the American population, they don't want things that small. They want big things. That's why they make chairs that look wide enough to seat a 500 lb. person.

I agree. When I got my catalog, I thought maybe there would be a sofa I could use in my 500 squ.foot studio. But even the "small" couches are 70 inches or more in length and 36 inches wide! I'm looking for something narrow and short. Anyone have any suggestions? I remember Room and Board had some last year, but this year's line of sofas is wider and longer.

I had the same thought. 83 inches is not small for a sofa! My rooms are ten feet wide.

It's the same old same old -- like American cars -- American furniture makers can't adapt.

The Asian furniture really is for small space.

monarda do you have a site for Asian furniture? By the way, I like the PB armless sectional for small spaces.

I noticed American manufacturers were not responding to this category of furniture needs in 2003 when I opened a retail store in the regional Portland, Maine area, so I created my own line with one of the best NC manufacturers left. I am still trying to find stores in NYC that would be suitable to carry the line, and fear putting the designs online for fear of being ripped off by PB and the likes (not that it has happened to me before, sniff). I'll send photos via email, and deliver to anywhere in the NYC area, where I lived for 10 years before my great escape. Google "Honey I shrunk the furniture" - there really is someone out here who cares and is trying, albeit on a shoestring budget, to bring sense back to sofa designs, at really affordable prices.